TWO of Brimbank’s most dedicated community workers, Brad Dalgleish and Ray Brown, have been recognised for more than 40 years of combined service to the Keilor branch of the State Emergency Service.
Late last month both men received service awards for decades of devotion to the Brimbank community, with Mr Dalgleish recognised for more than 15 years with the Keilor SES, and Mr Brown, a former Keilor unit controller, for his 25 years.
For both members of the Keilor branch, the formal awards, which were presented by Victorian Police and Emergency Services Minister Bob Cameron and SES CEO Mary Barry, are humbling honours.
“At the moment, probably the most rewarding thing, not for myself but for everybody, is getting the recognition from our peers,” said Mr Dalgleish, who has spent half his 32 years in the Keilor service, and the last three as unit controller. “The best part of it is when you do get out there and you do something and that person is generally in need of help, and they turn around and say thank you,” he said last week.
As a unit controller, Mr Dalgleish spends anywhere between 15 and 25 hours each week, and often more, as a volunteer with the SES Keilor branch, making himself available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
And although it may often be a thankless job, the community’s appreciation was obvious at last Tuesday’s council meeting, with all councillors congratulating both men for their awards and their service.
After literally “thousands of jobs” and 16 years spent cleaning up after storms, attending crashes and clearing tragedies, Mr Dalgleish has become used to seeing the dark side of the community, a side that most people see flash up on the nightly news, but not many want to confront.
“There are a lot that burn themselves into the back of your mind,” he said.
A couple of years ago, Mr Dalgleish recalled, the SES attended a fatal crash in Caroline Springs, where it turned out an SES member knew the victim.
“The worst thing, being a local, is if you know the person,” he said.
For Tullamarine resident Ray Brown, who turns 50 this year and has spent half his life in the Keilor SES, tragedy is something that becomes second nature, but there are still occasions when it comes as a shock, especially when it comes to fatalities.
But the work is anything but thankless, he said, and it’s the camaraderie among the volunteers that makes it feel less like a job and more like a family.
“You get a good feeling of just helping out people when they need help the most,” Mr Brown said.
Mr Brown summed up the dedication and devotion both men had towards their community, with both men determined to carry on working for the SES as long as possible.
“We can all take from society, but somebody’s got to put back, and I guess SES people are just the people who put back into the society,” said Mr Brown.
